Thirteen

Three Months Later: Two days before the wedding

Elena couldn't believe all that had occurred in the past three months, to actually think about it made her dizzy. The past three months had been a mixture of meals with Damon to attempt to get to know each other, remembering family trees, meeting people that she had already forgotten about, and being with Bonnie every free second that she had to plan the wedding and decided if lace or silk was best.

Elena was almost glad when in the last month before the wedding both Elijah and Damon got caught up in a business meeting in Japan, Elena was already nervous enough and didn't need Damon breathing down her neck.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed, when she imagined getting married as a little girl, she always hope that it would be real, not a fake marriage in disguise, but she needed the money.

"What's wrong?" Rebekah's clipped tone came from the leather couch in where Katherine and Rebekah were drinking champagne. "You don't like the dress, it's a little late for that darling."

"No," Elena stared at her reflection, they were at Kelly's, a store where they sold expensive designer wedding dresses and all though Elena had picked out her dress weeks before she had come in today for the last fit before the wedding and she was glad to report that it fit great. "It's great."

Elena's dress was strapless with bell sleeves and a huge princess style skirt that made Elena feel like a princess and it had a thin, white silk ribbon around her dress. The dress wasn't the problem it was her nerves.

Katherine took a sip of her champagne. "Elena, you're getting married in two days and you haven't seen your future husband in over a month, at least try to sound happy."

"I am happy." Elena gave them another fake smile. "I just really want to take this dress off, it's squishing my ribs."

Once the saleslady had helped her removed the dress, she turned back to the girls. "So shall we go?"

Rebekah nodded as she grabbed her purse and the twins followed her outside. "My little niece is getting so big already," Rebekah said as she squeezed Karin's cheek causing her to giggle. Karin had just turned nine months old. "I could kill you for not letting me be there when she was born."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "It's a moment that we are all going to regret, Becks." Over the past few months and especially since Elijah had gone away Rebekah and Katherine had been spending more time with each other and had develop a sort of weird friendship. Katherine still hadn't meet Mr. and Mrs. Mikaelson and neither party had pressure much either, so she was grateful for that.

They stopped in front of Rebekah's bright red convertible. "So don't forget eight o'clock at Sally's."

The twins exchanged looks. "What are we doing at Sally's?"

Rebekah let out a low growl that made her sound like an angry Chihuahua. "Hello, your bachelorette party."

The little color that was on Elena's face faded. "Oh, you were serious? Rebekah, the whole bachelorette party thing is not really my thing-"

"Shut up!" Rebekah stomped her foot. "I've spent weeks planning this and this is your last few days as a single woman, you'll love it, I promise."

Elena sighed exasperated. She knew better than to know that she could win against Rebekah.

"I can't go." Katherine apologize. "I can't leave Karin."

"Then find a babysitter," Rebekah said. "It's just one night and I want both of you to be there."

"Elijah?" Katherine couldn't help but give a little sigh of relief when she saw the suit wearing Mikaelson who had been in Japan for the past month. She didn't know why seeing Elijah made her so happy. "You're back?"

Elijah smiled. "I'm back, I just wanted to let you know," Elijah said as he stepped inside. He was carrying a few small bundles. "I brought Karin some presents and I got you some Japanese candy that is surprisingly quite good. I was surprise to see you here, I thought that your would be at Elena's bachelorette party by now."

Katherine shook her head as she took one of the pink candies that Elijah was offering her. "I couldn't leave Karin alone and I don't have anyone to babysit her."

Elijah looked towards the playpen where Karin was sitting up and playing with a stuffed seal by banging it back and forth. He picked up Karin from the playpen and smiled at how much she had growned up in a month. Karin immediately recognize him and started squealing with joy. "Long time no see, baby girl." He turned to Katherine. "And have you've given it any though Katherine about meeting my parents? They are anxious to meet both of you and they have been patient enough."

Katherine sighed. "I have and. . .I would be happy to meet them. We can figure out a day later. How was Japan?"

"All right, lots of people though I'm glad to be home. You should get dressed."

"Why I'm not going anywhere?"

"You're going to Elena's bachelorette party," Elijah said as he walked towards her room and pulled out the first dress he saw from her closet. "After my sister is through with her I doubt that she would want to have another bachelorette party."

"Hold on," Katherine clutched the dress. "What about Karin?"

"I'll take care of Karin." Elijah said noticing the frown on Katherine's face. "Come on Katherine, you need to learn how to trust me. Besides Karin is older now and I'll stay with her here? It's only for a few hours and when was the last time you had grown up fun?"

After a while, Katherine gave a sigh. "Fine, but if there's any trouble-"

"We'll be fine," Elijah insisted. "Go."

Rebekah had decided to have Elena's bachelorette party at a very well-known strip club called Sally's. An hour later Katherine entered the building wearing a short red dress, grateful that Elijah had taken over for her. Katerina couldn't help but smile in amusement, this was not something that Elena would declare as fun. Elena was sweet and nice and Katherine doubted that she wanted to spend her last days of freedom being the center of attention a strip club.

Katherine entered a small room with red velvet colored walls and a build in bar. There were a few women by the time that she arrived, mainly Salvatore and Mikaelson cousins that they didn't know, the only person that Kat recognize was Caroline who already looked a bit drunk.

"There you are," Rebekah said, she was wearing a clingy silver dress. "Would you tell you your sister to chill, she isn't getting executed."

Once Rebekah left, Katherine took one look at Elena and she was surprise that she hadn't fainted. Elena looked pale even though she was wearing heavy make up. Her hair was up in high ponytail and she was dressed in a strapless black mini dress.

Katherine put a reassuring hand on Elena's shoulder. "Elena, it's going to be fine. It's only a few hours."

"Yes, but I hate being the center of attention not to mention the idea of male strippers in tiny underwear around me completely mortifies me," Elena said. "What are you doing here? Who's taking care of Karin?"

Katherine shrugged. "Elijah offered."

"Wow, Mama Bear let her baby cub go free."

"Shut up," Katherine rolled her eyes. "When you have a baby, you'll understand."

The lights turned off leaving the room completely dark, Elena felt someone grasping her arm as they led her towards the stage and forced her to sit on a chair. Elena felt someone pressed something on top of her hair that she guessed was a tiara with a veil.

Elena could feel her cheeks burning not to mention that she felt like fainting from embarrassment. She was going to kill Rebekah. The light turned off and Elena found herself surrounded by five, extremely well looking strippers around her wearing only a bow tie and black leather thongs.

She could hear a voice across the salon. "Let's welcome our lovely bride-Elena Gilbert."

Elijah felt a small amount of content as he felt Karin resting her head on his chest. He hadn't realized how much he had missed her until that moment. It was weird, he had only started seeing Karin and Katherine again and they had become two of the most important people in his life.

He smiled at Karin. "Can you talk yet? Come on baby, say something. Say Daddy come on, Daddy. Or Mommy. Mommy."

Karin giggled as she touched his nose, then in a small attempt her little mouth opened and out came two of the sweetest words that Elijah had ever heard. "Da-da."

"Damon, my man!" Tyler and Marcel, two of Damon's closest friends and the ones who he had asked to pick him up at their airport after a long flight greeted him. "It's been too long."

"Tell me about it, I've miss my bourbon," Damon smirked as they started walking towards the exit. "Where's my car?"

Marcel and Tyler exchanged grins. "Oh, we're not going home, we're going somewhere else."

"Anyplace in particular you have in mind?"

Marcel smiled. "You'll see."

Half an hour later Marcel parked his car in front of a small place called The Mermaids. "Welcome to your bachelor party, man we wanted it to be a surprise."

Damon nodded as he exited the car. "Well, I'm defiantly surprise."

They went into a private room where an exotic dancer was just beginning to dance on the pole. A thin woman with short, dark hair grasped his arm. "Damon Salvatore?"

Damon looked at her, she was wearing a short, leather skirt and a black silk bra with a pink ribbon. He nodded. "Depends who's asking."

"You friend Tyler asked me to find you," her lips pulled into a smirk. "I'm a very special friend-I'm Rose."

"Damon."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you. Come to my room." Rose pulled him towards a room in the back. The walls were painted a deep pink and there were dozens of pillows. "Make yourself comfortable."

Within a few minutes Damon and Rose were heavily making out, the clothes half undone. Damon let out a low moan and without think he said the name. "Elena."

Rose pulled back. "Elena? You're thinking of another girl when I'm with you?"

"No," Damon said sharply. "Of course not. Just forget about it."

Rose shook her head as she pulled up her bra straps. "Sorry, honey your mind is on another woman not me. When you get tired of her you know where to find me."

-End of Chapter Twelve-